


Donald's Lost Light

by dah884



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dah884/pseuds/dah884
Summary: The invasion has been thwarted. It’s time for reunions some expected, some unexpected, and some really not.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 69





	Donald's Lost Light

The first thing he sees is a familiar flash of pink near an unfamiliar violet hummingbird. The next thing was that same old black sweater with its slightly lighter stripes. His feet are moving before he even realizes what he’s doing, idly taking note of the green sneakers she was always wearing.

“He looks like he’s just seen a ghost,” Louie comments.

“But, I don’t see Duckworth,” states Dewey looking around.

“He hasn’t returned yet,” Scrooge answers.

“Where’d…” 

“You’re alive!” Donald’s exclaims. Because it’s the dumbest thing to say. Because it truly matters. And three times in one day is a little much.

He had over a month to come to terms with Della being alive . And Penumbra’s death was over before it really had a chance to set in. But, Lena… Lena was the one he truly regretted. He was just one room away when she took a fatal blow while he let the children fight Magica DeSpell. He wasn’t there in the mansion when she was sucked into the soul crushing void of the Shadow Realm. He was working on his stupid houseboat while she was being possessed by her  _ aunt _ . He failed to get her to open up when they talked while she waited for her friends, even though she pretended she was only there for Webby. When they first met and he knew she needed help, but couldn’t do anything. He regrets not saving her. 

So as she stood there in shock and surprise, Donald picked her up in a crushing hug while repeating, “ I’m sorry,” over and over, as he cried.

* * *

_ Over six months ago... _

It sucked being in the Shadow Realm. Her best friend was crying her eyes out, and all she could do was talk to herself while watching. She’d give anything to comfort Webby and apologize, even if it meant Webby beating her half to death. 

Her beak cracked into a smirk, as tears she couldn’t shed filled her eyes. It wasn’t fair she could finally let her guard down and truly express herself, no evil aunts, no master plans of petty revenge, no spy games, and no one judging her. And all it took was her losing everything that truly mattered.

All she could do was pace and helplessly look on as her Webby, the energetic optimistic spitfire, broke down over the truth that their friendship was all a lie to destroy her uncle.

A knock on the door drew both of their attention.

“Come in,” Webby’s voice cracked.

“Let’s get this over with Colonel Crump…”

“Unc… Mr. Duck?” Donald flinches as he climbs up into the loft.

“Oh, no! I broke Webby,” Lena panicked as she believes she’s destroyed Webby’s faith in everyone.

Webby hugged her legs to her chest as Donald sat on the edge of her bed. “Oh, what happened to ‘World’s Best Uncle’?” he asked in all seriousness.

“I’m not part of the family,” stated the young duck despondently as she kept her eyes on the floor.

“Who told you that?” Donald asked as Lena started pacing in frustration.

“Mr. Mcduck, his exact words.” Webby said as she hugged her legs more tightly.

“WHAT?” Lena echoed Donald’s exclamation. “Why that no good, bagpipe loving, mother f…” Lena stopped as she felt a pair of eyes on her. Turning she saw Donald giving her a glare. “Hehehe, what I mean is… wait you can see me?” she began waving her arms frantically. 

But Donald just shook his head as he mumbled, “must’ve been one the boys.” Before Lena could dwell on it he pulled Webby into a side hug and said, “you are my boys’ sister, and my niece. No matter what happens or what anyone says, You Are Family!

“And, that old man’s just going to have to live with having such a great grandniece.”

Webby buried her face in his chest, “She’s my best friend, and I miss her so much.” She began to cry.

“I’m sorry, Pink!” Lena whispered.

For a few moments, they just sat there with Webby crying into Donald’s shirt. “Did you know Lena once keyed my boss’s car?” he asked with a small chuckle.

“I categorically deny any involvement with giving a jackass some overdue karma.” Donald once more glared in her direction. “Can you hear me or not?” Lena asked, exasperated.

“You almost sound proud.” Webby stated.

“Well I had a friend that used to do the same thing.” Donald answered honestly. “And, she did it for a good cause.”

“Seriously, you’re gonna use the ‘I have a friend excuse?’ That’s like it was me 101.” Lena sighed as she realized her friend was buying it.

Webby pulled away, tears still in her eyes, and a look of confused curiosity on her face as she tilted her head.

Laughing a little, Donald looked around as if expecting eavesdroppers. “Don’t tell the boys this, but I am.” He said with a fond smile. “You see, the boss in question was one that would rehire me every few months. Rehire me so he could mock and ridicule me. Then get bored and fire me.”

“Why’d you take it?” Webby voiced the same question Lena had.

“For my boys,” was Donald’s simple answer. “Like I told Lena when she asked, after over hearing my rant. Mind you, you and the others were out on one adventure or another. So the mansion was supposed to be empty.” He sighed, “so I felt I owed her a bit of an explanation. If I launched a complaint, not only would this company not rehire me, but with my temper and everything else other companies might not be willing to hire me at all. So I might have gotten some money from the settlement, but where would my next paycheck come from?”

Realization donned on Webby’s face. Then curiosity again, “and she understood all that? Um… no offense,” she finished sheepishly.

“No idea how,” he smirked.

“What can I say, I’m magic,” Lena said smugly.

“Anyway the next morning, a friend of mine in the news industry tells me to look at this article I might find interesting.” His smile became fond again. “Turns out the man was so upset over it he pulled some strings to make the front page with a photo of the damage and everything. Never occurred to him that the poem carved into the car spelled PREJUDICE!”

Both Lena and Webby were smiling at that.

“This of course led to a full investigation. Which revealed that I wasn’t the only case. The company almost went under before I convinced Uncle Scrooge to buy it.” 

Now both of them were stunned.

“I knew some good people who were stuck there. No reason for them to suffer,” he smiles.

“So, besides the obvious, how’d you know it was Lena?” Webby was practically bouncing with anticipation.

“She signed it, Light De Shadow.”

“That’s so her.” Webby declared.

“Et tu Webby, et tu,” Lena exclaimed dramatically. 

“So why did your friend think you might find it interesting?”

“Because the title had my vandalistic friend’s name in it.” Donald drew out the suspense. “If you’re interested look up the article, “Paperinik Prodigy Provokes Prejudice Slander.”

“You’re friends with Paperinik?” demands Lena.

“She would have loved that,” states Webby sadly.

“Wait a minute,” Lena said as something clicks. “Superheroes don’t have friends, at least not friends who know they’re superheroes, or at least not ones that go around telling everyone they are? I mean it kind of defeats the purpose of the secret identity. The only reason to say would be to explain knowing stuff you… no… no way… it can’t be!”

Indifferent to Lena’s realizations, “it was kind of a secret but she was a huge fan of the Duck Avenger.” A sad smile pulled at her bill.

“Seriously, after all the times we talked, after everything that’s happened, you don’t drop so much as a hint that you’re the Avenger.” She said pointing an accusing finger at Donald. “Then you drop the biggest bombshell of a hint in front of the biggest mystery nerd ever, and she completely misses it, arg!” Lena threw her hands up in frustration.

Webby hugged Donald again, “I just want her back!”

Donald hummed while concentrating, “there might be a way.”

Webby looked up at him with tear laden, hope filled eyes, “really?”

A small gentle smile appeared on his bill. “Truth be told, I didn’t come here blind. Scrooge and the boys filled me and Mrs. B in as much as they could.” He took a moment for that to sink in. “So, shadow homunculus?” 

Lena flinched. “I know, isn’t it great!” Webby exclaimed excitedly. Her face fell a little, “it doesn’t bother you, does it? I mean, she’s still Lena. And, Lena is Lena no matter what…”

Chuckling he interrupted, “don’t worry, Lena is definitely Lena.” He confirmed, “I knew an AI once…”

“Oh, Little Bulb?” Webby guessed as Lena relaxed.

“No, not quite this one was sane and stable, or as sane and stable as any of us.” Donald smiled fondly. “And, he was as much a person as you, or me, or Lena.” Webby hugged him, again. After a moment, “now according to Scrooge, Magica possessed Lena to get into the mansion…”

“What!” Exclaimed Webby. Her face took on a contemplative look. “I wonder if that was why she was acting off after we went into the ‘Other Bin’?”

Donald raised an eyebrow, “You went into the other bin?”

Lena faceplamed, “Webby! It’s like you want to get in trouble.”

Webby, obvious to the danger, excitedly continued. “Yeah, I got to fight a sword horse!” Then she got a little somber. “But, as we were leaving she was having trouble telling me and Mr. McDuck something . In the end she said her aunt was probably worried about her. Then she was acting a bit off. I didn’t think much of it because of the whole ‘Spear of Selene’ thing.”

Donald interrupted before Webby could dwell on it too much. “Well after Magica got free she banished Lena into the Shadow Realm. I think she was trying to destroy her, but since she saved you and Dewey we can say her will was too strong for that.”

“Yeah Magica blasted her,” Webby pointed out sadly.

“True,” Donald conceded. “But, she was made of shadow and has a strong will…” he trailed off.

Webby’s eyes widened, “Magica turned her from a shadow homunculus into a shadow elemental when she pulled her into the Shadow Realm!” Webby exclaimed with excitement.

“That’s what I’m figuring,” Donald smiled.

“Which means,” Webby started working it out. “Unless she had some kind of anchor, she’d be lost somewhere in the Shadow Realm. So all we have to do is find her and figure out a way to either make her a homunculus again or give her a physical form someway.” Webby was smiling until a thought occurred to her. “Won’t she be lonely while we find her?”

Donald looked over in Lena’s general direction while hugging Webby. “She’s a strong kid and now she doesn’t have Magica haunting her. Besides, if you put in half as much effort as you did researching the ‘old man,’” all three smirked at that, “I think we’ll have her back in no time. But, don’t forget to live your life. I don’t think she’d want you giving up everything for her.”

“Yeah Pink I’m not worth it,” Lena sighed as she stared at her best friend.

“But, she’d be worth it,” replied Webby without hesitation.

Chuckling and shaking his head as he got up, Donald couldn’t help but look at Webby with pride. “Oh, and when you find her let her know the offer still stands.”

“What offer?” Webby asked curiously.

Staring right at Lena he said, “she can call me uncle Donald whenever she wants?” He then closed the hatch as he left the loft.

Hold her head up and away, but keeping one eye on the departing duck, Lena whispered, “like uncle is any better than aunt.”

* * *

_ Over the next six months the whole family would add stuff to the board titled ‘Returning the Light.’ Well, everyone but Scrooge, however Huey added a newspaper article detailing a massive donation of books to the Mystical Section of the public library. The common theme Shadow Magic and the alleged reason to inform and reassure the community. Thus began Library Day. Oddly enough Quackfaster started working at the library shortly after. _

* * *

“So, um, ah” Lena began awkwardly, “Donald how was the cruise?” At the flinch from Webby, she felt like she’d just stepped on a land mine. And as she glanced at the rest of the family, who were frantically shaking their heads while making other negative gestures, the feeling only worsened.

To her and everyone else’s surprise Donald started laughing. “It was okay, but the service could have used a little work. And, don’t even get me started on the food. Sorry I missed your grand return. So which room are you staying in?”

Laughing nervously she responded. “It’s no big deal, we just had to fight off a bunch of tuplas I accidentally summoned. and about the room, you see…”

Just then a raven interrupted, “there you are Lena, have you seen your sister? Papi and I have been worried since you two disappeared.” 

As the Raven approached, the older duck turned the teen slightly into a defensive stance while putting himself protectively in front of the hummingbird. Then turned his head, glared at the raven, and growled, “Poe!”

This pulled the raven up short as he just took notice of the duck holding his daughter. The rapidly angering duck. The angering duck who last met him after his sister kidnapped his twin. The raven gulped.

Panicking, Lena shouted, “Uncle Donald, that’s my dad!” The entire crowd went silent. Poe stared at her with a look of pure joy as a smile appeared on Donald’s bill. Then realizing what she just said quacked in embarrassment before clearing her throat and saying. “I… I mean Mr. Duck, this is Violet’s father.”

“Hi, I’m Violet!” stated the hummingbird in a deadpan.

**Author's Note:**

> A. N. So this was started just after the season 2 finale, and I’m sorry it took so long. Real life and writers block. So there are a few headcanons I have here. 1, Lena has a personal vendetta against prejudicial people because of the way Magica treated her. 2, Lena’s a huge Paperinik fan. And, 3, that it was Donald’s idea that Lena might be trapped in the Shadow Realm.
> 
> A. N. The reason why they were sitting there awkwardly during the Money $hark was it happened right after the news article was printed.


End file.
